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8-K - FORM 8-K - WILLIAMS PARTNERS L.P.d578345d8k.htm
EX-1.1 - EX-1.1 - WILLIAMS PARTNERS L.P.d578345dex11.htm
EX-8.1 - EX-8.1 - WILLIAMS PARTNERS L.P.d578345dex81.htm

Exhibit 5.1

 

  811 Main Street, Suite 3700
  Houston, TX 77002
  Tel: +1.713.546.5400 Fax: +1.713.546.5401

www.lw.com

LOGO   FIRM /AFFILIATE OFFICES
  Abu Dhabi    Milan
  Barcelona    Moscow
  Beijing    Munich
  Boston    New Jersey
  Brussels    New York
  Chicago    Orange County
August 2, 2013   Doha    Paris
  Dubai    Riyadh
  Düsseldorf    Rome
  Frankfurt    San Diego
  Hamburg    San Francisco
  Hong Kong    Shanghai
  Houston    Silicon Valley
  London    Singapore
  Los Angeles    Tokyo
Access Midstream Partners, L.P.   Madrid    Washington, D.C.

525 Central Park Drive

Oklahoma City, OK 73105

    

 

  Re: Registration Statement No. 333-189963; Continuous Equity Offering of Common Units Having an Aggregate Gross Sales Price of $300,000,000

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as special counsel to Access Midstream Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the “Partnership”), in connection with the proposed offer and sale from time to time by the Partnership of common units representing limited partner interests in the Partnership having an aggregate offering price of up to $300,000,000 (the “Units”). The Units are included in a registration statement on Form S-3 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on July 15, 2013 (Registration No. 333-189963) (the “Registration Statement”). This opinion is being furnished in connection with the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K under the Act, and no opinion is expressed herein as to any matter pertaining to the contents of the Registration Statement or related Prospectus Supplement dated August 2, 2013 to the Prospectus dated July 15, 2013 (collectively, the “Prospectus”), other than as expressly stated herein with respect to the issue of the Units.

As such counsel, we have examined such matters of fact and questions of law as we have considered appropriate for purposes of this letter. With your consent, we have relied upon certificates and other assurances of officers of the general partner of the Partnership and others as to factual matters without having independently verified such factual matters. We are opining herein as to the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act (the “Delaware LP Act”), and we express no opinion with respect to any other laws.

Subject to the foregoing and the other matters set forth herein, it is our opinion that, as of the date hereof, when the Units have been issued by the Partnership against payment therefor in the circumstances contemplated by the Equity Distribution Agreement filed as an exhibit to the Partnership’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on August 2, 2013 and the


August 2, 2013

Page 2

 

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Prospectus, the Units will be validly issued and, under the Delaware LP Act, purchasers of the Units will have no obligation to make further payments for their purchase of Units or contributions to the Partnership solely by reason of their ownership of the Units or their status as limited partners of the Partnership, and no personal liability for the debts, obligations and liabilities of the Partnership, whether arising in contract, tort or otherwise, solely by reason of being limited partners of the Partnership.

This opinion is for your benefit in connection with the Registration Statement and may be relied upon by you and by persons entitled to rely upon it pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Act. We consent to your filing this opinion as an exhibit to the Partnership’s Form 8-K dated August 2, 2013 and to the reference to our firm in the Prospectus under the heading “Legal Matters.” In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

Very truly yours,

/s/ Latham & Watkins LLP